The Catholic Church in France

The headline from Catholic World News reads, “French bishops launch fundraising campaign as number of Catholics declines.” After alienating their flock to the point that nearly 40% fled the Church, and only 10% of those remaining attend mass, the bishops decided to spend more money on fund-raising. The only stated purpose for that money is to support the people that alienated the flock in the first place.

France has always been strongly Catholic. It was even home to several popes. The article says that as recently as 1972, 87% of the French were Catholics. Traditionally, Frenchmen considered themselves Catholics even if they didn't attend Church and didn't believe in its dogma. But now only 54% of Frenchman identify as Catholics, and 40% as “Nones,” with no religious affiliation. This only happened because the Catholic Church really turned them off.

But the French bishops make no attempt at reforms to better meet the needs of its flock. Nor do they downsize to adjust to their smaller base. Nor do they make any real attempt to address their child abuse problem. They simply increase their fund-raising efforts and try to squeeze the remaining flock that much harder. With any luck a death-spiral will cure their pederasty problem.